Imagine Eternity
by charm545
Summary: Sequel to "Imagine Madness". You'd think all the dangers were over now that Ciel's soul is safe and sound, but there are many human problems they will need to face before they start thinking about eternity...
1. Chapter 1

Ciel understood that he needed to be more careful. Really. He did.

With Mey Rin accidentally letting his mother know that he hadn't "outgrown" Sebastian, the pair needed to lay low. Although he was concerned, he knew his mother wouldn't actually do anything about this "problem". She had the tendency of pretending that everything was ok and of drowning any concerns in alcohol. Still, they didn't want to end up breaking the almost nonexistence barrier keeping her at bay…

Yes… Ciel understood this… and yet…

* * *

><p>"Sebastian. Turn like this." The boy spoke suddenly in the middle of a movie, a spark lighting in his eyes. He demonstrated by changing his position on the couch. He lifted his legs onto the couch and leaned his back against the armrest. "Facing me." He spoke now looking directly at the demon.<p>

Sebastian did as he was told, also bringing up his legs so as to move his torso to face Ciel. Their legs tangled easily on the couch.

"Now." Ciel spoke with a serious tone. He took a single popcorn kernel out of his bowl. "Open your mouth."

"We both know you'll fail at this." Sebastian said with ease, immediately understanding Ciel's intentions. He leaned forward and tried to take the bowl from the boy, who scowled.

"Go back to your post!" He said as he lifted the bowl out of reach.

"I'll just have to make some popcorn for myself then." The demon said with a shrug.

"Don't you da-" But in Ciel's next blink, he was gone. The boy rolled his eyes. "Stupid demon." He threw a popcorn kernel into the air and opened his mouth to catch it. It never reached its destination, though, because Sebastian caught it in his hand. "Hey!" Ciel said with annoyance.

"You will only eat the ones coming from my hand." Sebastian stated with a sly grin.

"Careful, or I'll think you're all talk." Ciel gave a challenging grin of his own. The demon left once more, but promptly returned with freshly popped corn. "Now sit. You've delayed the game long enough." Ciel said with fake disapproval.

"My apologies." Sebastian said with just as fake remorse. They each took their positions and plucked a kernel from their bowls.

"Ready?" Red eyes flashed with determination.

"Damn right. Remember: you can't move to catch. It's all about aim."

Sebastian was the first to shoot. It twirled gracefully through the air, right into Ciel's waiting mouth.

"Not bad." The boy said as he munched on the corn. Ciel lifted his own hand and aimed at Sebastian's mouth. The kernel reached its target perfectly, surprising Ciel himself.

"Not bad yourself." Sebastian teased. "A lucky shot, perhaps?"

"Oh shut up." He threw one again, Sebastian opening his mouth right on time. Ciel realized something. "Can you even eat human food?"

"It disintegrates the moment it enters my mouth." He threw a kernel at Ciel, who munched thoughtfully after the catch.

"Huh…" Then his eyes widened. "That could've happened to my finger?!" He threw a kernel harder than before, hitting the corner of the demon's mouth. He smirked before throwing one back.

"Of course not. It's a conscious decision." Sebastian opened his mouth as he received the next kernel.

"What would happen if you didn't disintegrate it?" Sebastian threw him a kernel.

"Well, I said conscious but it's not exactly that." His nose wrinkled as Ciel's kernel hit his face.

"Sorry." Ciel saw in the demon's eyes the intention of throwing a kernel at his forehead. Ciel lifted the palm of his hand. "Don't start a war!"

Sebastian's eyes narrowed before he relaxed his arm and instead threw the kernel perfectly into Ciel's mouth.

"As I was saying, it's more like an automatic function. Like breathing. You can control your breathing if you become conscious of it, but it is natural for it to work on its own." He threw another kernel at Ciel.

"So you shouldn't eat human food?" Ciel threw more popcorn.

"It is not in my nature, no." Throw.

"But do you know what would happen if you did?" Catch.

"Would you like me to try?" Sebastian asked with a humored look. Ciel frowned.

"Um…"

"Here." Sebastian picked a single kernel from his bowl. He held it tentatively between his fingers before slowly nearing it to his mouth.

Ciel felt like the whole thing was overly dramatic, and yet his own heart seemed to beat faster at the suspense. Suddenly, he panicked.

"No!" He threw a kernel right at the one between Sebastian's fingers, efficiently hitting it out of the demon's hand.

There was silence as Sebastian stared at his empty hand. Ciel could practically feel the figurative storm forming.

Finally, the demon looked up at him with a challenge in his eyes.

"You've asked for it this time." He said, narrowing his eyes yet smirking.

Ciel gulped as he quickly got on his knees and took a better hold of his popcorn bowl. He took a handful of kernels and prepared himself.

Then the battle began, and for a moment Ciel forgot about everything else. Popcorn flew both past him and at him. The boy laughed as he shielded his face and continued to throw kernels mercilessly at the demon, who was showing no mercy himself. As Ciel moved to avoid popcorn, he crushed some that were littering the couch, but he didn't even care. He was laughing so hard he almost felt like nothing could ever matter again.

He should have realized the noise would have started Mey Rin.

"Young Master! Is everything all ri- AAAH!" The poor woman was a victim of stray bullets… which had been evidently thrown in the direction opposite to where Ciel was throwing.

The battle stopped. Ciel stared at Mey Rin in horror, cheeks burning up. Sebastian carefully placed the bowl on the sofa.

"M-M- wwh-what's going _on_ here!" The maid shook kernels off her hair. She stared nervously at Ciel, who was also quite covered in corn himself. Not just him… but the entire living room! It was a strange position to find him in…

He was holding a popcorn bowl, but she noticed a second one lying on the couch. Ciel cursed inwardly.

"O-oh! Is someone here with you?" Mey Rin asked with a smile, glad to make sense of it. She was, after all, sure that the popcorn she had been hit with had not been thrown by her young master but actually _at_ him.

Ciel sighed, knowing it would do him no good to try and make up a person.

"No… it's… just me…." His cheeks darkened terribly, and he heard Sebastian snicker. The boy was too mortified to be angry.

Mey Rin stared at him blankly before falling into light panic.

"W-what! B-but then… h-how…!?" She stared at Ciel, who looked away. Sebastian was seriously having to fight laughter now.

Shaking a bit, Mey Rin forced an unconcerned laugh.

"O-ok young master! J-just let me know when you're d-done… so I can… clean up…" Then Sebastian actually started to laugh. As in, out loud. Ciel wanted to be swallowed whole by the ground.

Once Mey Rin left the room, Ciel waited for a few seconds before tackling the demon off the couch as violently as possible.

"STOP LAUGHING YOU IDIOT!" Sebastian in turn just put his arms around Ciel's waist and held him close. "LET ME GO! AND SHUT UP!"

And to think that was the least worst moment. Ciel was cornered into worse situations… which actually means _Mey Rin_ was cornered into worse situations….

* * *

><p>Ciel sat on the kitchen table, calmly reading a book and sipping his tea as Sebastian prepared dinner.<p>

The atmosphere was peaceful and homey… and that was when Mey Rin ran into the house.

"I FORGOT TO TURN ON THE WASHING MA-" She froze as she saw pans on the stove, in the midst of cooking a meal, with Ciel sitting down and paying them no heed. She blinked in confusion, knowing that the boy was alone… or at least…

Ciel froze as well, before snapping out of it and standing up with a forced smile.

"O-oh Mey Rin! I-I was just-" He turned to look at Sebastian, who pointed at the food. Ciel's fake grin grew. "-In the middle of dinner!" He quickly moved to the stove, reaching for the nearest pan, which he almost burned himself with before finding the handle. Taking the spoon Sebastian had been using, he mindlessly began to move the food around. "T-the washing machine huh?" Ciel said, trying to distract Mey Rin from how obviously clueless he was about what he was doing. "You should be more careful!"

Yet Mey Rin seemed to disturbed by the sight to move along.

"Um… I-I think those onions are ready…"

Ciel looked at the food, and in fact they were onions already crispy and about to burn.

"A-a you're right! I-I'm just going to…"

"Add those other vegetables I cut up." Sebastian said, pointing at them.

"… add those o-other vegetables I cut up!" Ciel reached for them and was about to dump all of them into the pan when Sebastian suddenly took a hold of his wrist. "H-hey!"

Mey Rin gave a jump. Ciel cursed inwardly before glaring at Sebastian.

"There's a process for these sorts of things." The demon said seriously but Ciel could clearly hear his amusement.

"Y-young master?" Mey Rin said quietly. That was when Ciel realized that his hand was just lifted up, holding the vegetable bowl. He panicked slightly.

"R-right! I'm going to…" He tried moving his hand, but Sebastian wouldn't move. "T-to…!"

That was when a diabolic glint shown in Sebastian's eyes, and Ciel knew he was up to no good. Suddenly Sebastian was behind him, Position his legs before Ciel's own, taking control of each small hand with his own, and playfully setting his chin on the boy's shoulder.

Ciel yelped (making Mey Rin yelp as well) as his body began to move against his will along with Sebastian. There must have been something obviously unnatural in his puppet-like movements, or maybe Ciel just had a greatly panicked look, but Mey Rin looked horrified as Ciel "cooked".

Sebastian moved him from one side of the kitchen to the other, getting ingredients and giving fancy twirls before splashing olive oil onto meats and flawlessly cutting up even more vegetables. Sebastian's fingers, legs, and arms moving Ciel's own.

He noticed Mey Rin's expression, and tried to show some normality.

"Y-yeah so now I'm going to… move this around!" He narrated as Sebastian moved his hand up and down, making the ingredients on the pan fly into the air before being caught perfectly. The demon began to move him away.

"A-and now… now…" Ciel reached for a wine bottle. "S-some of this…" Sebastian chuckled against the boy's ear as he brought him back to the stove. "So I'm going to put this d-" Ciel expected Sebastian to set the bottle on the counter, but instead he opened it. "…or not." Ciel tried to make up for that. "So…. So im going to lightly pour it over the-" Sebastian happily splashed the pan with the alchohol, making a colum of fire rise.

"GAH!" Mey Rin yelled, Ciel opening his own mouth in shock.

This went on for some time. Mey Rin was simply unable to look away from the spectacle of Ciel's body moving limply yet agilely and looking mostly confused and horrified.

Soon the food started to come along. Sebastian cheerfully dipped Ciel's finger into the sauce.

"N-no!" Ciel stuttered. "I´m n-NOT going to taste that! I'm no-!" Then his finger found itself in his mouth, then back out again. "and I did it…." Ciel sighed in defeat. Sebastian chuckled.

Mey Rin stayed there until the food was finished and ready to serve. She was practically trembling.

"I-I think it's t-time I go ch-check the laundry!" She ran off as quickly as possible.

Sebastian let go of Ciel, the sudden weight causing the boy's knees to buckle. The demon caught him effortlessly before he hit the ground, leaning Ciel's body against his own.

"Thank you for your hard work today." Sebastian said teasingly against the boy's neck.

"Was that really necessary?" The boy muttered tiredly. "You're such a show off." He tried looking at the demon out of the corner of his eye. Sebastian intertwined their fingers. "You're being touchy today." He hummed, and Ciel could feel him smile against his skin.

* * *

><p>And yet, that wasn't the worst situation…<p>

This was totally and completely Sebastian's fault, according to Ciel.

"Brush your teeth."

"No."

"Ciel."

"I don't want to move."

It was barely mid day and Ciel already felt drained. He could seriously cry out of how relieved he was that it was Saturday, cause otherwise he would have not been able to function. He had barely had the motivation to eat lunch, and the moment he was done he dragged himself back into bed, ignoring Sebastian's insistence on hygiene.

"If you don't care for your teeth now, you will regret it later."

"I'm immortal. If it hurts too bad I'll just kill myself."

"Ciel." Sebastian said in a tone of warning. The boy whined as he clung to a pillow with all his might.

"I can't do it, Sebastian. Don't ask the impossible of me." The demon stood there and watched him for a long time. Ciel could almost feel his eyes burning the back of his skull. "Sebastiaaaaan! You're being mean and annoying!"

"And you are being childish."

"I'm sorry..." And that was how Sebastian knew that the boy was genuinely beyond exhausted: he would never apologize for something like that. " I'm just so tired…"

Sebastian sighed and patted the boy's head. Ciel's body lost some of its tension, and the pillow in his arms didn't look like it was suffocating anymore.

"I've thought of an idea." The demon slid his hands under the boy and picked him up. Ciel whined lightly until his head was against Sebastian's chest and he was resting once more. "This way you wont make any effort."

"thstpd…" Ciel muttered. Sebastian fought a chuckle.

"What was that?"

"this…is stupid…" the boy repeated, burying his face against the fabric of Sebastian's clothing.

They were almost at the bathroom, when a sudden scream shocked Ciel to his senses.

It was Mey Rin, who had just dropped the basket of laundry she had been holding as she stared at her floating young master…

_Oh shi-_

The maid turned around and ran away, another scream escaping her.

"Should I go after her?" Sebastian asked with a bored tone.

"This is all your fault!" Ciel scowled. Sebastian was about to argue, but Ciel just shook his head. "Later! Put me down! I need to deal with this."

"If you insist." The moment Ciel's feet touched the ground, he began to run after his maid. "I'm right behind you..." In those words, Ciel clearly heard the warning _"If she doesn't calm down, I'll deal with her..."_

"Mey Rin!" He called out as he ran. He was about to go out the door, when a flash of pink caught his eye. She was sitting in a corner of the kitchen, clutching her head.

"C-ciel!" The boy's eyes widened, considering she had only ever called him by his name once before. He should have acted with caution, but for some reason he felt no fear towards Mey Rin. Maybe it was just like with Sebastian: he was simply too close to them to fear them. He quickly neared her, and she gripped onto his shirt.

"I-I think I'm going insane…" She sobbed, tears dripping from her thick spectacles. Ciel felt terribly guilty at the amount of relief those words brought him. He petted her head.

"It's ok, Mey Rin. Take a few days off." With that, the pink haired girl hugged him tightly.

Thankfully, those incidents never reached Mrs. Phantomhive's ears. If they had, then everything would have gone downhill much faster than it actually did.

* * *

><p><strong>WELCOME TO IMAGINE ETERNITY!<strong>

**I'm so excited about these little fics! Some are going to be just plain and pure fluff while others will lead to a bigger plot. **

**Some info about Ciel's state as an "immortal". **

**- He doesn't have his purple eye anymore since it was the seal of the contract which is no longer necessary since Ciel's soul is already in Sebastian. **

**-Sorry Ciel, but you are just as human as you were before! He still feels pain and everything just the same. His body is physically the same. **

**- I have a theory that if Ciel and Sebastian are far away enough from each other, Ciel's soul, no matter how incredible, would not be able to influence Ciel's body anymore and he would fall into a sort of vegetative state. Sadly (luckily?), they were never far away enough for this theory to be tested. **

**-The only difference Ciel can tell is that he feels lighter. **

**In a later chapter we'll get more information on what would happen to Ciel if he were to die! Till then, enjoy the fluff!**


	2. Chapter 2

**This isn't as fluffy, but it's important!**

* * *

><p>"CIEEEELUUUU!" Ciel winced, feeling once again terribly guilty at the amount of dread hearing his cousin's voice produced in him.<p>

He didn't mean anything by it though! It wasn't like he could stop his body from tensing or his instincts from telling him to run every time Elizabeth threw her arms around him.

"Oh I've MISSED you so MUCH!" The excited blonde spoke loudly, rubbing her cheek against Ciel's own.

"You're yelling in my ear again!" Ciel knew he couldn't blame her for her actions, though.

Elizabeth was raised by his aunt Angelina Dales, who he nicknamed "auntie red" for her adoration and constant use of the color. They used to drop by the Phantomhive's home all the time. Ciel had very fond memories of Elizabeth, since she the only child who would ever play with him.

At a very young age, the girl declared her undying love for Ciel (Sebastian spent the next few days making fun of her, and Ciel had felt the need to defend her) and stated that they were now engaged. His mother and aunt had laughed a lot, but thought it was actually not a bad idea.

"They get along quite well! And it would be a good way to keep the family close." Mrs. Phantomhive spoke with a smile. So it was decided that Ciel and Elizabeth would be "engaged" unless either one of them had a proper suitor, which to this day neither have ever had.

Those happy years didn't last, though. One day, Auntie Red went out and was later found murdered. After that happened, Elizabeth became overprotected. She was homeschooled and had little to no contact with the outside world. Because of this, her social skills became quite lacking. She constantly yells and throws tantrums and cannot tell when she is bothering someone. Ciel truly cares about her, though.

This, of course, doesn't mean he wants to marry her.

"I can't believe I'll be staying here for a few days!" Elizabeth kept yelling. "I'm so happy!" She suddenly took hold of Ciel's hands and began spinning him in circles.

"G-aaah!" Ciel struggled to keep his footing. Suddenly Elizabeth let go of his hands so as to raise her own in joy, which made Ciel fall backwards. Sebastian quickly caught him and set him carefully on the floor.

That was when Ciel noticed the way the demon's emotionless face twitched. He had seen that expression every time the blonde girl came to visit.

"Ciel! What are you doing sitting there!? Let's go to the gardens!" Before Ciel could think of an excuse, Elizabeth pulled him to his feet with surprising strength and pulled him towards the house's exit. Sebastian followed close behind.

* * *

><p>"You don't like Elizabeth."<p>

Sebastian turned to look at Ciel, who was spread out on his bed after an exhausting day of being dragged around.

"What makes you think that?"

Ciel turned to meet those red eyes.

"It's just… every time you see her you try to seem expressionless, which already makes me feel like you're hiding something… and then there's like this tiny moment when you reveal what you actually feel… and it looked like disgust…" Sebastian watched him in silence. "I don't know… I guess… you've known Elizabeth for as long as I have… I just thought…"

"That I would care for her?"

"No… not necessarily."

Sebastian sat at the edge of the bed, and Ciel automatically moved to set his head on the demon's lap.

"I thought I had been clear about this through the years, but it seems like I must tell you." Sebastian let his fingers play with Ciel's hair. "I will always be on your side and only yours. There isn't any other creature in this world, or in any other, that matters to me in the slightest."

"That's kind of sad…" The boy muttered, but then he thought about it better. Did he love his mother? If he did, it was out of obligation and nothing more. His father? That was something he did not want to think about. Mey Rin? He appreciated her and worried often, but that was about it. He could state that he loved his aunt, but she was gone. Elizabeth? He _cared_ about her, wanted her to be happy, but was that enough? "… actually, I might be like that too."

Sebastian buried his face against Ciel's hair, letting an arm go around his shoulders. He pulled back enough to speak.

"Also, you know that I don't like it when someone other than me touches you."

"I can't do anything about that. You know how she is."

Sebastian was silent for some time. Ciel was beginning to drift to sleep when he spoke again.

"I also don't like how she intends to marry you." Ciel turned his body around so he was laying on his back now, looking up at Sebastian. The demon had a humorless smirk. "Vows tying you for "eternity" when we know who you're really tied to." He sighed. "If it were up to me, I'd make sure she never neared you again."

Ciel did not react to this. He stayed staring at the demon, expressionless. Sebastian pulled at Ciel's cheek and the boy's seriousness broke, pouting and swatting the hand away.

Then the boy's eyes seemed to sadden before he looked away.

"You can do it if you want." He muttered.

Sebastian blinked in surprise, not sure if he had understood correctly. Ciel mindlessly picked up Sebastian's hand and played with his fingers.

"I've been thinking about it… and I don't want this for her. Her thinking that we're alone, that we are that "one" person for each other... It's not fair to her or to me… I don't want to live lying to her…."

Sebastian closed his hand around Ciel's own. The boy looked up at him and he could immediately tell that the demon was trying not to show how pleased he was by Ciel's words.

"Are you sure?" They stared into each other's eyes for a long time before Ciel nodded. At that, Sebastian allowed himself a small smile.

* * *

><p>The young blonde girl walked happily down the hall towards the guest room that had been assigned for her. She didn't notice the way a shadow was closing in behind her until it loomed over her. She stopped at the sight, before slowly turning around and being faced by a large and terrifying mass of darkness.<p>

The girl shrieked and tried running away, but the darkness followed her. It began to bounce against the walls and floors and she covered her head in an attempt to protect herself. She wanted to yell for help but whenever she opened her mouth the darkness just seemed to grow more wild.

Suddenly she tripped and fell onto her bottom. The darkness then moved straight towards her, threatening and violent. She screamed before closing her eyes.

Nothing happened. She opened them and gasped at the darkness that had stopped inches away from her. Suddenly she was hit by a gurgling voice that seemed to originate and echo purely in her head.

**STAY AWAY FROM CIEL PHANTOMHIVE**

****STAY AWAY FROM CIEL PHANTOMHIVE****

**STAY AWAY FROM CIEL PHANTOMHIVE**

The sound terrified her more than anything ever had in her life. Shrieking once more, she suddenly ignored the darkness around her and ran off towards the house's exit as she desperately covered her ears.

She had no intentions of entering that house ever again.

* * *

><p>Ciel was sitting against the board of the bed while hugging his knees tightly to his chest. He felt terrible about what he knew was happening outside his door, but he knew it was what had to be done.<p>

_I can't give you what you're looking for, Elizabeth…_

Ciel didn't realize how alone he felt until he was washed by a wave of relief as the door opened and Sebastian entered the room.

…_And the truth is that I already have what I need_

"It is done." The demon said. Ciel shook his head, not wanting to hear about it. He extended his arms wordlessly. Immediately, Sebastian neared him and allowed himself to be pulled onto the bed. Lying on his side, he circled Ciel with his arms and held him tight.

"You wont come to regret this?" Sebastian asked. Ciel shook his head against the demon's chest.

"I know where I belong." At his words, the demon smirked.

"You mean to who."

Ciel felt himself regain some spirit. He pulled away and lifted an eyebrow playfully.

"I don't belong to you."

"Your soul is in my body."

"Because my soul _went_ to you! It's like I said! I know where I belong."

Sebastian gave a light snicker, but pulled Ciel back against his chest. Drifting to sleep, Ciel was suddenly wide awake when he heard Sebastian whisper "_Mine_."

He pulled away fast with a light scowl.

"What did you say?"

Sebastian gave a sly grin before planting a kiss on the boy's forehead.

"Nothing. Go to sleep."

* * *

><p><strong>Gosh, poor Elizabeth. But we don't need her in this story! Ciel only needs Sebastian!<strong>

**Anyway, I think I'm going to start with the "Imagine Innocence" fics before I add any more here. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! Just some thoughts on your comments before I let you to your fluff of the day!**

**Right now, Ciel's mom has done nothing and mentioned nothing about the whole "sebastian" thing because she lives in constant denial and will not act until she feels absolutely and completely cornered to do so. This will be a main issue later on.**

**Haha don't worry, Aanchai puri, this story isn't yaoi. They just have a really deep and complex bond. Ciel has spent every moment with Sebastian for practically his entire life so there is literally no one he is closer to. Sebastian also, in all his years, had never become so close to a single person so this prompts him to be possessive and protective over the boy. The possessiveness started with his desire for Ciel's soul, but it grew into a lot more than that. Their touches are never sexual, but definitely intimate. Their relationship can be narrowed down to them constantly teasing and worrying about each other. **

* * *

><p>Sebastian is the definition of mother hen.<p>

Ciel has known this since he was little. It had always been Sebastian, not his mother, who would remind him to brush his teeth before going to sleep, or to tie his shoelaces unless he wanted to fall on his face.

When Sebastian became capable of touching him, this "trait" grew exponentially. Now the demon would be the one to tie his shoelaces, force an extra layer of clothing before going out, and even pick him up before reaching cracks or steps that he was sure Ciel was going to miss even though the boy had noticed them from a meter away.

Being relatively used to it, the actions would only receive a pout or occasional frustration. The truth was though that they made Ciel feel cared after, and he appreciated that. Not that he would ever tell the demon.

Yet, some things received more frustration than gratitude...

* * *

><p>Ciel hummed as he watched Sebastian prepare tea. The boy was in a particularly good mood for some reason. Sebastian smirked at the sound, but decided not to comment.<p>

"You know what? I think I'm going to make myself a nutella sandwich." The boy said with ease before standing.

"There's no need for you to-"

"I feel like moving around a bit! You shouldn't be the only productive one in the kitchen!"

Sebastian watched Ciel's small figure out of the corner of his eye as the boy moved to the pantry and took the bag of bread, humming all the way. He made his way to the counter and took out a knife from the drawer. The boy made an acknowledging noise as Sebastian took the nutella out of the cupboard it was in and placed it next to Ciel's other ingredients.

Ciel gracefully twisted the jar's cap to revel its creamy interior.

"I don't understand why you like that substance so much."

"You're making me sound like a drug addict."

"You got the addict part." Ciel ignored him and began spreading the goods over his slice of bread. "It's too sweet. You wont be able to appreciate the tea."

"Oh, please. We both know your abilities with tea should not be underestimated."

The boy decided the spread was thick enough. He put the knife into his mouth and sucked at the nutella left on its blade.

He was unaware that the action had caused any sort of reaction from Sebastian, until the blade had passed his lips and the demon snatched Ciel's wrist. The boy turned to look at him with a mixture of confusion and annoyance before it was replaced with surprise.

"Don't put a _knife — _something made to cut meat — into your mouth, which _is_ meat." Sebastian spoke calmly, yet he looked far from it. His body was tense and his forehead wrinkled even though it was obvious he was trying to maintain his expression as neutral as possible.

Ciel scowled, hating how logical his words sounded. Still, his rebellious teenager side insisted that there was no way he was going to let Sebastian win at such a trivial matter.

"Seriously? You got riled up because of _that_? Nothing's going to happen!" He pulled his wrist out of the demon's grasp. "It's not like the Joker got his cuts by accident." They had recently watched the second Batman movie.

Sebastian gave a frustrated sigh, which actually surprised Ciel quite a bit.

"I suppose there are some things you are still too young to understand."

"Really? You're going to play the age card on me? Not even my mother does that."

"I am much older than your mother."

"Still! She's my mother! I should expect stupid things like that from her! Not you!"

"Only someone who is immature would see safety as stupid."

"Oh, come on! This knife is hardily sharp! I can barely cut a cake's crust with it, much less meat!"

Sebastian stared at him in silence at that comment. Ciel stared back. Then the demon moved towards the utensil drawer and took out a completely flat and dull knife made specifically for spreading. Wordlessly he extended it towards the boy, who stared at it in almost disbelief.

_Seriously_…?

Barely fighting a defeated sigh, Ciel reached for the spreading knife. He dipped it into the nutella, and put it into his mouth, giving Sebastian a look of _"does this please you?"_

And it actually did. His body lost its tension, and a smile graced his lips.

* * *

><p>It was not as ridiculous, though, as that time Sebastian found a bruise on Ciel's arm while he dressed the boy for school.<p>

When the removed long-sleeve pajama shirt revealed the injury, the demon froze. He held Ciel's arm and stared at the bluish purplish spot.

"Huh… how did that get there?" The boy wondered. It had already been a few months since his time in the hospital, so he knew it hadn't been a souvenir from their "fun" with Claude. Ciel couldn't remember any recent hits, but his skin was quite pale and prone to bruising so it didn't surprise him much.

Sebastian lifted a finger over the speck, but dared not touch it.

"I don't know…" There was bitterness in his voice, which made Ciel look up at him in surprise. There was a frown on the demon's face and he glared at the bruise, as if wanting it to reveal the secrets of its origin.

Ciel was actually pretty surprised at the fact that Sebastian didn't know how the bruise got there. Usually he was on top of everything that went on in Ciel's life, and he knew that Sebastian remembered everything, which means he simply didn't _notice_ when it happened.

For the rest of the day, the demon kept a slight frown on his face. Ciel felt more and more annoyance built up as the demon didn't seem to quit beating himself up over the mysterious cause of the bruise. During school, Ciel found himself gripping his pencil tightly and keeping himself from throwing it at Sebastian's face and yelling at him to just get _over_ himself…

So in the walk back home, Ciel could stand it no more. He came to a sudden stop, causing Sebastian to stop as well.

"What is it?" The demon asked with his stupid frown still present. Ciel scowled for a second before clearing his throat and taking on a neutral expression. He let his backpack fall to the ground, which made Sebastian raise an eyebrow. The boy took off his blue sweater, revealing a short-sleeved shirt, which in turn revealed the accursed and mysterious injury.

"Let's deal with this, shall we?" Ciel said in an almost violent tone, positioning his arm before him. "This is a bruise. It should come as no surprise, being as I'm so "delicate", like you say."

The frustration that had been in Sebastian's expression all day seemed to turn into some form of guilt. Ciel hissed internally before finally taking the step he knew would end everything. Wordlessly, he moved his arm towards Sebastian.

The demon's face suddenly became blank as he stared at Ciel's offered arm. Then understanding filled his eyes and they grew soft. Ciel looked away as the demon took a light hold of his arm and planted a kiss on the bright bruise.

Blushing lightly, the boy pulled his arm away.

"There. It'll be fine now, so you can forget about it." As he put on his sweater and reached for his backpack, Ciel pointedly refused to look at Sebastian, but was internally gladdened by the certainty that, if he were to look, that frown would be gone for good. Once they began walking again, Ciel soon felt Sebastian press against his side.

_Mother hen… _Was all the boy could think.

Sebastian's actions could be quite annoying… but that didn't mean that Ciel didn't need them in his life.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys, I got really sick right at the time I started writing this (creepy, huh? you'll see) so I've been really slow about it. **

* * *

><p>When Ciel was born, the doctor declared he had a "weak" constitution and that he would be prone to illness for the rest of his life.<p>

The boy quickly showed signs of being asthmatic, and was one of those people blessed (or cursed) with the doctor's "recommendation" of avoiding exercising as much as the years, Ciel's asthma had become well controlled, but this did not change the fact that his weak lungs made him sick every winter. It used to be worse when he was younger, with him getting sick at least once a month, but that is a memory to be looked into elsewhere.

Every time Ciel got sick, it was the same routine: At first, his mother would fuss over even the smallest sniff or sneeze, yet the moment it turned into an actual sickness she would suddenly disappear. She would never take him to the hospital or even call a doctor.

"It's just a cold." She forcefully stated to Mey Rin as she walked out the door, pointedly avoiding the maid's eyes. "He'll get over it in a blink."

She would spend even longer periods of time away from the house than usual–afraid, perhaps, of facing the fact that even the smallest of colds could evolve into something capable of taking her son's life.

"Maybe she feels somehow guilty? Like it's her fault i was born this way?" Ciel mused, laying in bed and looking at Sebastian as the demon took the thermometer from the boy's armpit.

"She just deals with this like she does with any other problem." Sebastian said calmly, but there was a hint of bitterness to his tone. He looked at the thermometer. "37.4"

"Thats normal, isn't it?" Ciel uselessly attempted.

"We both know your regular body temperature is slightly colder than other people's. 36 is fever for you."

"You probably have something to do with that." Ciel teased with a smirk. "Being so long with someone so cold blooded _has_ to have its effects."

And that was usually how it would go. Elizabeth would also come visit, but after the "incident" during her last visit she had pointedly stated that she would never enter the Phantomhive home again, but that she wished Ciel the best.

So the routine lives on. Like always, Ciel would battle the illness for a few days and joke around with Sebastian until he got better.

But there were sometimes cases where he wouldn't get better, and it looked like this would be one of them.

Ciel was woken the next morning by a violent coughing fit. He then threw up over the side of the bed, and almost passed out in Sebastian's arms.

"Ciel!" The demon did not like the way Ciel's head was lulling to the side or how the blue of his eyes could hardily be seen. He forcefully shook the boy. "Stay awake, Ciel!" He insisted, bringing the boy back to the edge of consciousness.

Mey rin eventually walked into the room to bring breakfast, and noticed Ciel's condition. Without Mrs. Phantomhive's consent, she called a doctor.

* * *

><p>A quick listening to Ciel's lungs, and it was clear he had the beginnings of pneumonia. He said Ciel needed a nebulizer, which they already had from previous cases. Mey rin set it up for the boy, who sighed tiredly.<p>

"I hate those processes." He muttered. They consisted of breathing in vaporized salt water, then having his back patted hard to loosen the phlegm in his lungs. Since his mother was busy being in denial, it was always Mey Rin who had to do this during these times, but she was always so careful and scared about it that Sebastian was always frustrated at how ineffective they were.

But now, Sebastian could finally take matters into his own hands. After Ciel obediently breath in the heavy air ("You have to take deeper breaths." "Shut up, this stuff is gross."), and Mey Rin clumsily patted the boy's back ("That felt more like a cheap massage than anything else."), Sebastian positioned his own hand over the boy's back.

"Let me know if it hurts." He rose his hand and let his palm fall heavily, practically forcing the breath out of Ciel's chest. The boy immediately knew Sebastian was doing the right thing since he could feel the liquid inside his lungs every time the demon's hand landed on his back. He really was sore afterwards, and Sebastian made up for it with an actual massage.

And it seemed to work for a few days. Ciel's condition seemed to become stagnant. They'd spend the day lazying around and being thankful the sickness had come right on winter break so there would be no stressing over catching up on homework.

One day, as they watched a movie in the living room, Ciel suddenly let his head fall onto Sebastian's shoulder. The demon immediately knew something was wrong since the boy had lately been extra careful because Mey Rin was looking after him in his illness and they had already had one too many "strange" happenings with the poor maid.

"Ciel?" Sebastian looked at the boy, who weakly turned so his forehead would be pressing against the demon's shoulder. He immediately felt the boy's high temperature. Sebastian cursed under his breath.

Without a second thought, he picked Ciel up bridal style and took him to his room. He got a bowl of cold water and dipped a towel into it, running it over the boy's forehead. Ciel shivered at the contact. He tried opening his eyes, but everything was blurry.

"S-sebastian…" The boy's tone was almost frightened.

"Shhh." The demon said softly, tracing Ciel's face with the cool object. "Your fever has risen, that is all."

He spent the rest of the day watching over the boy's temperature. It continued to rise and fall, Ciel going in and out of consciousness. Mey Rin did not enter the room until much later with Ciel's food. When she noticed the boy was asleep, she left the food on the bedside table and left. Sebastian gave a frustrated sigh.

"What is she doing? You need to eat." He leaned over Ciel's body before shaking him carefully. "Ciel. Ciel it is time for your supper." The boy groaned, which signaled Sebastian to sit him up.

Blinking tiredly, the boy yawned before rubbing his eyes.

"I feel better now…" he murmured.

"That's good. Mey Rin brought you soup." The boy gave a small smile.

"Only good thing about being sick, huh?" He dipped his spoon into the bowl. "That, and tea with honey."

"Whose tea with honey? Mey Rin's or mine?" The demon couldn't help tease.

"Don't ask stupid questions." The boy said, fighting a smile.

Sebastian watched him as he ate. He was acting normal until there was a sudden change in his expression and he put down the spoon.

"What's wrong?" The demon immediately asked.

"I… I can't have any more." Ciel stated. He picked the bowl up and offered it to Sebastian.

"You've barely eaten half."

"I really… can't have more." Something in Ciel's tone made Sebastian take the plate. Ciel took slow and deep breaths before lying back down. "Make sure Mey Rin doesn't find out I didn't finish it."

"If you insist." Sebastian said, but left the dish just as it was.

* * *

><p>Food became a major issue. Ciel would allow less and less spoonfuls into his mouth.<p>

"I can't Sebastian…." The boy answered at the demon's instance. "I feel… nauseous…." This concerned Sebastian, knowing that if Ciel didn't eat he _would_ need to go to the hospital.

And then things got worse.

That fateful morning, a single spoonful was enough. Suddenly Ciel's eyes widened and he signed to Sebastian "_bin_"

Sebastian quickly pulled the trash bin to Ciel's side, and the boy threw up into it. That marked the beginning of his painful relationship with the container.

That bin became a new extremity of Ciel's body. Trying to get him to eat became useless, as he started to become sick even without it. Each regurgitation seemed more pained than the last, leaving Ciel gasping, almost sobbing, at each gag.

The nebulizer's gas itself made him sick, and it made Sebastian hate himself to force Ciel to keep breathing in the thing which caused him so much pain, yet the demon knew was also the only thing that could stop it.

Throwing up once more, the boy curled up on his side, practically hugging the bin. A whimper escaped his lips, and Sebastian felt his strength falter. He carefully peeled Ciel's fingers away from the bin, receiving a panicked noise from he boy that made Sebastian curse absolutely everything. He laid on the bed and tightly pulled the boy into his arms, who instinctively curled into him. Sebastian listened to his watery and difficult breaths, and experiences his most hated sensation: helplessness.

* * *

><p>Days went on like this. Sebastian moved his fingers comfortingly through Ciel's hair as the boy battled wheezes and coughs. When it was time for the treatment, Ciel would now even cower away from it, trembling and trying to hide his face against the pillow. The boy would hardily speak, and when he did it was to ask to be held.<p>

Then things got better. The ever present bin began to be used less and less throughout the day. Suddenly Ciel was awake more often than asleep. There was light in his eyes once more, and he seemed conscious of his surroundings. But he still didn't eat, and his breathing was just as bad: Sebastian was not tricked.

In one of those days, Sebastian decided to clean around the room just for the sake of entertaining Ciel with something. The boy watched him with a light curl of the lips as the demon mindlessly lifted an entire desk with one hand and made sure there was nothing under it. Ciel gave a light laugh, before looking away.

"Sebastian…"

The demon put the desk down, feeling the sudden need to be close to his boy. Ciel's smile grew sad.

"It wouldn't be so bad if I died, right? We'd just get to eternity a little sooner than we thought..."

Sebastian immediately went to his side and held the boy's face in his hands.

"Ciel. Look at me." He ordered. The boy, for once, did as he was told. The demon's eyes were hard. "You are _not_ going to die."

They both knew Sebastian had no actual authority, but the boy still smiled.

_The way you say it… I can't help believing you…_

"Ok." He murmured. At those words, Sebastian's shoulder's loosened, and his expression became tired. He let his head fall onto Ciel's chest. The boy placed a hand on the demon's back while mindlessly playing with his hair with the other. Sebastian closed his eyes, and listened to Ciel's noisy and unhealthy breathing.

* * *

><p>Once the boy was asleep, Sebastian removed himself from the room and stood before the house phone. He willed his form to remain true to this world, and picked up the apparatus as he dialed the number of a very specific person's secretary.<p>

The line was answered, and before the female on the other end could speak, Sebastian hissed.

"Tell Mr. Phantomhive that his son is dying, and that if he cared in the slightest he would at least be aware of it." With that, he hanged up.

* * *

><p>Those "good days" had been the calm before the storm. The next morning, Ciel's fever rose to 39. Even the cool water did nothing to make the boy better. Sebasian cursed under his breath, feeling desperate enough to consider heading towards the nearest hospital even if it made Ciel look like he was floating. He forced himself to reason that that would only cause the boy more problems and people would be too afraid to near him, let alone treat him.<p>

The day continued with the fluctuating fever. Ciel was outright gasping for air, breathing hard and fast through his mouth. He was even too weak to move away when Sebastian neared the nebulizer, and coughed painfully when his body registered the substance entering his lungs.

The boy began to whine. The sound was one so child-like and innocent that Sebastian could almost state he felt genuine pain at the noise. Tears leaked out of the corners of Ciel's eyes, and Sebastian watched with a bitter expression before taking a deep breath and nearing the boy to turn him around.

Then the room's door opened. Sebastian looked up and froze in actual shock.

Nothing but Ciel's tiny sobs and whimpers could be heard as the person walked towards the boy's bed.

He placed a hand over the boy's forehead for a moment. Everything about it seemed to stir Ciel's nerves.

_That hand… I know that hand…._

Ciel's weak and pained eyes fluttered open. Through wet vision he saw a pair of soft blue eyes.

_Father…_

The man moved his hand to Ciel's head, and petted the boy. Sebastian watched as a smile appeared on Ciel's lips before the tear that had been hanging onto the edge of his eye finally slipped down his cheek. The boy's body grew limp.

* * *

><p>Mr. Phantomhive sent Ciel to the hospital that very day. He was treated right away: a few injections to lower the fever, and an x-ray showing his lungs lighting up like a Christmas tree with the infection.<p>

The man did not stay to see his son recuperate, but Sebastian couldn't find it in himself to be angry at that.

Elizabeth was informed that Ciel had been moved to the hospital, but even then she refused to go visit him, sending flowers and good wishes instead.

The boy woke up, feeling a sense of deja-vu at the sound of the heart monitor and the sight of white walls. His vision cleared up and he soon noticed Sebastian before him.

"Hey you." Ciel spoke, a weak grin on his face.

"Hey you." Sebastian said back. The demon neared the boy and petted his head. "How do you feel?"

"Way better." The boy blinked as he remembered what had happened before he had passed out. "You called my father?"

The demon's smile faltered, and he looked away.

"He got there just in time to save the day."

"Tsk, don't be so dramatic." Sebastian raised an eyebrow at Ciel's words. He hadn't expected the boy to undermine his father's actions. "We both know who did all the dirty work." Ciel's eyes softened. "and who truly did the saving."

A week of intense and professional care, and Ciel was back to normal.

But, as Ciel said, we know who truly did the saving.

* * *

><p><strong>And Mr. Phantomhive finally appears! Look at him caring about his son! Yet if it wasn't for that mysterious call you'd be caring for his funeral! Some parenting skills ya got there, man. <strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**It's been so long! Sorry! But today is Ciel's birthday so I forced myself to give up on studying and just finishing this fic which i've been working on since forever. I also have a "birthday" chapter but it's not ready yet so we'll see when I have time to finish it. I also have more imagine innocence chapters but i just haven't had time to finish theeeeem ugh. **

**Anyway HAPPY BIRTHDAY CIEL; I'LL FINISH THE BIRTHDAY FIC SOON!**

* * *

><p>"Ciel."<p>

"Hm?"

The demon rolled his eyes at the boy's feigned innocence. Ciel did not look away from his book, very comfortable with his feet up against the bed's headboard.

"Isn't there something more important you should be doing?" Sebastian spoke slowly.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"_Ciel_."

The boy sighed, letting his book fall onto his stomach.

"Come on, Sebastian! I've only been back for a week! I'm in no mood for homework." He went back to his book. "Specially on vacations." Sebastian watched him for a moment.

"I see. Then you are in the "mood" to fail the school year."

Ciel hissed, covering his face with his book.

"You're the worst." The demon gave a light smirk, reaching down for Ciel's book and taking it away. Immediately the boy sat up and made a disagreeing noise that reminded Sebastian of a cat and which he immediately adored.

Before he could tease him about it, Ciel went quiet- listening to something. He then turned to Sebastian.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"What?" This time the demon was who feigned innocence.

The boy smirked.

"That there is a fly in the house."

* * *

><p>"YOU FIEND WILL NEVER SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY!" Mey rin swatted madly with a newspaper, efficiently knocking down a lamp. A minuscular dark dot flew away from the rampage, unaffected.<p>

"HO! DON'T THINK YOU ARE SAFE!" She lifted her arms and ran after the bug, tripping on the broom she had abandoned in exchange for the sudden chase. The fly flew over her head as she sat up, fixing her crooked glasses. The sound immediately riled her up once more. "COME HE-AH!" She tripped over the wooden stick again before finally regaining her footing. "COME HERE, YOU!"

In that moment, Ciel entered the kitchen. An unbecoming giggle escaped his lips, which he soon covered to prevent more, but unable to fight a smile. Sebastian sighed at what he knew would keep the boy distracted for a while, but the little sounds escaping him were worth it.

"YOUNG MASTER! I'VE ALMOST GOT IT!" His maid assured with excitement before following the bug into the living room. Ciel shook his head with amusement before reaching for Sebastian's hand and pulling him along after the maid.

When they entered the room, the boy made an odd sound that started as a snort but ended as a laugh. The couch's many pillows were littered everywhere, all the fancy figures and decorations were either toppled over or simply gone from their spot and nowhere to be seen, and everyone was thankful mey rin had only a newspaper in her hand as she hit the television screen with all her might.

"GAH!" She yelled as the fly escaped the paper's grand judgment once again. It flew past Ciel's shoulder, and Sebastian immediately pulled him back to allow Mey Rin's blind rampage for justice.

Ciel watched her go, releasing his built up amusement in a deep sigh.

"Should I clean up here?" Sebastian offered, knowing the maid was too focused on her task to remember which rooms she had and hadn't trashed.

"Not now, come on." They walked out the door and followed the noise into the kitchen, just for the boy to feel himself be pulled back again and have Mey rin run past him towards the hallway, yelling unintelligibly. At that moment, the phone began to ring.

"GAH!" Mey Rin yelled, knowing she had to answer the phone but at the same time finding herself incapable of yielding. Ciel chuckled.

"I guess I'll get it." He muttered, entering the kitchen and picking up one of the many phones in the house.

"Phantomhive household."

"Ciel?"

The boy froze as he recognized the voice at the other end of the line. Sebastian's eyes narrowed, hearing everything perfectly. Ciel swallowed hard, forcing his speech to be normal.

"Good evening, father."

"Good evening as well! It's fortunate you have picked the phone; I was going to have Mey Rin inform you that I've offered our home to host the company's next meeting. You will be joining us, yes?" Ciel barely had the time to open his mouth before the man continued. "Wonderful. My secretary has already made most of the arrangements, just make sure Mey Rin has the house presentable for tonight, and you as well!"

"O-of course, father."

"All is well, then. I'll be seeing you tonight."

"Yes. See you then." The line went dead. Ciel stared at the phone for a moment before hanging it up with a frustrated sigh. "He's never done this before…." He muttered to Sebastian.

"It would seem your sickness may have attracted his attention." The demon spoke emotionlessly.

"At least enough for him to want to be in the same room as me for one day more in the year." Ciel said with a snort. _You know, before he forgets about me for the rest of eternity… _

Ciel shook his head at his own thoughts; he really should have outgrown them by now. The boy scowled at Sebastian´s frown.

"Stop having such an annoying expression! It´s not like he´s your father."

"But he _is_ yours." That hit Ciel very hard all of a sudden.

That´s right… he _was_ his father… father… didn't that imply…. Some form of commitment? Commitment…

Ciel swallowed the lump in his throat before clearing it.

"That matters not. Let´s go see if I have anything decent to wear for tomorrow. You can clean up Mey Rin's mess after that."

Ciel could feel Sebastian´s eyes follow him as he turned around and walked towards his room.

"If you insist."

_So much for homework. _

* * *

><p>It was time for the partymeeting/father-son quality time. Sebastian took a step back as he finished straightening the collar of Ciel's dark blue suit.

"Dashing enough?" The boy asked, almost bitterly. Sebastian fought a smirk.

"Elizabeth would have a field day."

Ciel rolled his eyes before going out the door.

"Is anyone here yet?" He asked as they walked down the hall.

"There is a car entering the drive in."

Ciel took a deep breath as they reached the door and stood before it. There were a lot of people who could be arriving, after all they were expecting some cake deliveries, and some background musicians, and yet Ciel´s body seemed to be sure of something the boy wasn't, as his legs felt slightly unstable.

Then his father entered the house, and Ciel felt his own back tense as he unintentionally stood straighter. He experienced that annoying feeling in his stomach that invaded him every time he was in the same room as his father.

"Oh, Ciel. Good to see you're ready." The man spoke easily with a charming smile. Ciel felt it pull at his chest but the boy refused to let himself feel anything. He forced a plastic smile on his face.

"Evening, father. Should I inform Mey rin of the number of guest joining us?" This was the most he had spoken to his father in half a year.

"Oh, there´ll be no need for her: I have hired a few extra hands for the night so they will have everything under control." He neared his son and placed a hand lightly on his shoulder. "I trust you´ve been doing well?"

Ciel fought the instinct to flinch under his touch. He heard Sebastian give an almost inaudible growl.

"Everything is as always." _Not that you know what that is…_

"Good. Good." The man nodded. With a last look at Ciel´s face, he walked towards his office, which was where he usually kept himself during his visit.

Ciel´s face felt tight and painful from holding his smile. He was about to let it drop when his father turned to face him once more.

"Oh, Ciel! One last thing." The boy straightened once again, slightly startled.

"Y-yeah?"

"It is the birthday of one of our guests. He is quite fond of wine so he has promised to bring lots for us all to enjoy. I expect you to drink too, since it would be of bad manners to dismiss such a gift."

Ciel blinked in slight surprise.

"Drink?"

"Certainly. You are nearly of age, are you not?"

"… I´m 13."

"Oh well, I indulged in fine wines long before that. It will be no trouble." With that, he left to his study.

Ciel stood in silence there for a moment. It was interrupted by Sebastian, who seemed suddenly unable to hold back his thoughts.

"Nearly of age…" He muttered under his breath.

"Sebastian." The boy warned. It was rare for the demon to voice his negative opinions about Mr. Phantomhive. Ciel knew he had them, but Sebastian knew well enough not to speak of them.

"If in the next blink of his eyes 5 years of your life were to pass, he would not even-"

"Enough."

The demon went quiet and stared at Ciel, who avoided his eyes. The boy clenched his fists before looking up with a bitter smirk.

"Just shut up, yeah?" He turned and began walking to his room. They spent the few first steps in silence before Sebastian spoke once more.

"Forgive me. I was not thinking."

Ciel snorted.

"Oh, I know exactly what you were thinking." He said, playing with the fabric of his shirt. "You know it´s what I´m thinking too. I don´t need to hear it."

They continued walking. Ciel finally took a deep breath, and forced himself to release all his built up tension in it. He turned to look at Sebastian.

"I´m more interested in hearing your thoughts about the drinking. You think anyone will get a little tipsy?"

"That would be quite the spectacle."

"Yes, exactly what I´d love to be doing with my day: watch some old rich guys get drunk as they talk about other ways to continue getting rich and old."

"Actually, my bet is more on you." The demon smirked lightly. Ciel scowled.

"As if my father would allow that! It would look ridiculous to have the host's 13 year old kid hiccupping around the place!"

"Oh, were you not 18?" Sebastian dared. Ciel almost gasped at his comment before fully stopping and hitting him repeatedly with his little fists.

"**Shut up**! You´re such an idiot!" He said, almost laughing. The demon caught his fists with ease, leading Ciel to more struggling.

"Oh, you´re right: These are childish efforts."

"Shut up! I´ll be 14 in a week!"

"And I will be an eternity more than that." He smirked.

"Big deal! So will I someday, so stop being snotty!" Ciel finally pulled away as Sebastian chuckled.

"Snotty? Someone hasn´t checked a thesaurus in a long time."

The boy hissed, his face blushing.

"Shut up!"

Ciel was feeling a little better. He had been heading towards his room to take a break from the situation before heading on out again, but he felt much more stable now. He stopped walking and turned back to where they came from.

"Careful with sudden movements, you might get dizzy." The demon teased.

"Why don´t you actually shut up for once."

As they walked back through the hall, Ciel´s thoughts couldn´t help drift back to his father. Usually when the man came, Ciel forced himself to be unfeeling. It was the only way he could… be ok with the situation.

And yet during his sickness he had experienced a moment of weakness. He had let himself feel joy and relief and affection, which lead to unavoidable disappointment that Ciel was then conscious enough to force away as soon as it was detected.

There was no point to those feelings, or to any when it came to his father.

"There are some thoughts that are best not to get lost in." Sebastian spoke, cutting clean through Ciel´s pondering, for which he was grateful.

* * *

><p>"So this is the future head of the company! It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, young man!" Yet another generic, rich, business guy said to Ciel as he shook his hand.<p>

"The pleasure is mine." The boy spoke cordially, his father nodding approvingly at his side.

The meeting hadn't even started, and Ciel was _tired_ already. He was tired of all the people showing so much "interest" in him while he could feel Sebastian tensing or sending death glares at particular people which Ciel understood had less than pure intentions. Those few felt a shiver down their backs as they walked past the boy.

He was tired of his father presenting him as if he was some grand art piece won at an auction: something to be proud to posses, and that others should look at with awe. The joy in his voice and the affectionate hand on Ciel's shoulder all made the boy feel drained.

"Do you enjoy wine, my boy?" Ciel blinked out of his daze as he realized he was being spoken to.

"Excuse me?"

"I've brought many different kinds with me! Which is of your preference?"

"I... I've never had wine before." He admitted calmly. The man cackled and gave Ciel a strong pat in the shoulder that pushed him back onto Sebastian, who circled the boy with his arms and kept him there, a step farther away from the man.

"I see! I wonder if you'll be able to keep up with us! We are all avid drinkers when it comes to something as fine as this!" The man teased.

"Oh, he will." Mr. Phantomhive said with certainty, making Ciel's stomach sink. "Right, Ciel?"

"I..." Sebastian tightened his arms around the boy, and Ciel felt himself relax a bit. "I'll do my best."

"Wonderful! So glad we had this little chat, young sir." The man walked away, and Ciel fought the instinct to sigh in relief.

"That makes everyone. We should head into the dining room now."

"Ok." Ciel said, feeling as Sebastian pulled him closer and gave a teasing kiss against his neck. The boy smirked and swatted over his shoulder as if there was a fly bothering him. "I'll be right there." He said, giving Sebastian a look of superiority as his voice was calm and proved himself unaffected by the action.

_Careful or I'll see that as a challenge. _The demon signed.

They walked into the dining room, everyone already seated along the long and thick marble table.

_Stand beside me today. _Ciel signed.

Usually Sebastian would stand across from him whenever he was forced to do something boring so they could sign and be distracted, but today Ciel felt different. He took a seat beside his father, and Sebastian obediently stood close to him.

As the men began their discussion, the hired waiters brought in the wine, pouring cup after cup to everyone. Ciel lifted his cup calmly, appreciated its scent for a moment before taking a sip. It was good, but he didn't understand how they could be drinking it so fast.

"Ciel." The boy looked at his father who courtly motioned for him to continue drinking, having himself been served a second glass. The boy tried to look around as casually as possible and noticed that he was being watched. Without thinking, the boy took the glass to his lips and chugged it all down as gracefully as he could. He heard a few approving murmurs before they focused back on the man who was speaking. Ciel took a breath as he put the cup down, feeling slightly dizzy.

"These people are ridiculous; are you really going to do this?" Ciel heard sebastian's disapproving words in his ear. Before he could think about them, his cup was being filled again and his father gave him an expectant look.

And as he chugged the next cup, all he could think was: _I really hate rich old men. _

* * *

><p>At 2 cups he could hardily hear the men speaking anymore. At 3 cups everything felt blurry and unreal. At 4 cups he could hardily hold his laughter as he realized how much he hated almost everyone present in that room.<p>

"**Ciel**. You need to **stop**." Sebastian said forcefully holding onto the boy's shoulders and trying to get him to snap out of it. He knew it was dangerous to speak to him in such state for the boy could easily speak back without realizing how terrible that would be.

Instead, though, the boy began to giggle. He covered his mouth with his hand trying to keep quiet. Sebastian raised an eyebrow in surprise, then scowled. Enough was enough.

A waiter came and began refiling Ciel's glass. The moment the boy's hand came in contact with it, Sebastian pushed it out of his grip and it landed on the floor.

The sound wasn't loud enough to stop the meeting, but it did attract the eyes of a few people.

"Ooops." The boy spoke with a giggle. "I _dropped_ it..."

As one of the waiters came to clean the stain, Sebastian carefully pulled back Ciel's chair and helped the boy to his feet.

"I think I'll go get some air." He said absentmindedly, holding tightly onto Sebastian for balance. His father watched him with slight surprise before going back to business and hoping no one thought too much of his son's actions.

* * *

><p>Ciel was still laughing as they stepped out of the house. Sebastian was in slight disbelieve of the boy's state. In a moment of curiosity, the demon picked Ciel up and spun him around, actually lifting the boy off the ground. Any other day he would have received lots of cursing and blushing, but today the boy just cheered and laughed.<p>

"You really are far gone." The demon stated with a snicker as he set Ciel down but not letting him go for fear that he would fall. "Your alcohol resistance is poorer than I thought."

The boy giggled, leaning freely on Sebastian´s hold.

"That´s not my fault! I shouldn't even be drinking!" Then Ciel blinked as if a thought had just sparked in his mind. He went on his tip toes and poked the demon on the nose. "Boop."

Sebastian snickered as the boy fell back into his arms with laughter.

"We should distance ourselves from the house, considering your state."

"Whatever you say!" Ciel said cheerfully, much more obliging than he ever would be sober.

"I guess I know how to get you to agree with me, huh?"

"Yeah!" The boy said, not understanding the comment. Sebastian shook his head in amusement. He picked up the boy bridal style, Ciel giggling as he set his head against Sebastian´s chest.

The demon soon found a spot at the nearby park. He sat with his back against a tree´s bark, Ciel making himself comfortable between his crossed legs.

Not being able to help wanting to poke some more fun at the boy for his condition, he released his hold on him, and Ciel let himself fall happily, leaning his back on Sebastian´s leg and raising his arms, laughing as everything turned upside down. Sebastian shook his head again.

"Let us agree not to have you drink ever again."

"Aw, this isn´t so bad!" Ciel giggled at the grass tickling his cheek.

"Your cognitive functions are not at their best… to put it kindly." The demon said, fighting laughter.

"It´s fiiiiine. If I did something stupid, you´d be there to protect me!" Suddenly the boy pulled himself up, looking at the demon with a grin. "You´d protect me from anything, wouldn't you? Even at the cost of your own life?"

The demon stared at him unblinkingly, amusement suddenly changed to a strange uneasiness.

"You know that´s not a question…" He spoke slowly, frowning lightly. Ciel closed his eyes with a giggle and a nod.

"Then I´m done for!" He exclaimed cheerfully before letting himself fall again. Sebastian caught him this time, the disturbing sensation growing.

"What are you talking about?" He demanded. Ciel just kept smiling.

"Remember you´re not just one person anymore!" The boy giggled at the half joke. Before Sebastian could react, he continued. "My soul is inside you, remember? If you die, then I will too! You need to be your own priority now!"

Sebastian felt himself tense.

"I know that." He was taken by surprise by the strange awareness that lit up in Ciel´s eyes.

"Do you really?" A knowing smile spread over his face. "Would you really be able to let me die? Even, if the situation came to it, kill me?"

There was a deep and piercing silence that followed those words. Sebastian didn´t know what his expression looked like, but as Ciel stared at him the boy slowly lost his smile, looking almost panicked.

He sat up a bit and softly took hold of Sebastian´s face in his hands. The boy´s eyes seemed to be taking in every inch of it with unhappiness. Then he planted a kiss on the demon´s cheek.

"I´m sorry." He said, pulling back and searching for a specific response, which he didn´t seem to receive because he leaned back in and showered the demon´s face with little pecks. "I´m sorry." He said again. "I didn´t mean to make you sad. I´ve just been worrying about you, that´s all."

His words were so innocent that Sebastian couldn't help give him a small smile even though he felt greatly troubled. Ciel smiled back, looking drained. He let his face fall onto the demon´s shoulder.

"I´m tired." He muttered.

"Sleep, then." And he did.

Sebastian knew they would have to be heading back to the Phantomhive household soon, but he couldn´t help needing a moment to put his thoughts into order. As he felt Ciel´s light breath against his cheek, and circled the boy´s small body with his arms, he knew that the answers to Ciel´s last two questions was no.

And that was not ok.


	6. Chapter 6

**Some BONUS stuff from last chapter! Just wanted to write something small for my birthday, but even that took me a few days more than I wanted. Whatever! **

* * *

><p>Sebastian gave a frustrated sigh as he looked down at the peaceful face of the boy in his arms.<p>

_Really… How could I ever kill you when I can't even bring myself to awaken you?_

The demon decided to release his bitterness with one final sigh before allowing himself some amusement at Ciel's current state.

"As much as I would enjoy you giving everyone a piece of your mind, it would be best if you take your leave for the night." The demon carefully stood up, carrying the boy comfortably against his chest.

Sebastian made his way back to the house and waited until there was only one waiter in the way. He made himself visible and with the appearance of one of the hired workers.

The waiter spotted him and looked shocked as he noticed who he was holding.

"I found him asleep outside. I think it would be best to take him to bed." The demon spoke cordially. The man nodded with uncertainty, and Sebastian walked past him to the hall leading to Ciel's bedroom.

He set the boy down on his bed, quickly undressing him and changing his heavy formal wear for some comfortable pajamas. Knowing Ciel's body might disagree with the alcohol, he turned the boy onto his side and dragged the trash bin next to the bed as a precaution. The object in question brought unpleasant memories of the sickness Ciel had just gone through, which the demon forced away from his mind.

Sebastian focused on Ciel's breath, which was slightly noisier than usual. The demon bent down and tucked a few strands of the boy's hair behind his ear, allowing a better view of his face. Although the sight was quite endearing, the demon couldn't help smirk.

"I'm tempted to make up some embarrassing tale to test your memory tomorrow." He whispered conversationally. The boy reacted in no way: all but dead to the world. Sebastian's smile faltered at the thought.

* * *

><p>Vincent Phantomhive had no choice but to ignore the absence of his son as the meeting went on. He had thought of asking a waiter to go search for him, but he didn't want to bring attention to the matter, and it hadn't quite been in the waiters' job description that they would be looking after befuddled teenagers.<p>

So the meeting continued. Once it came to an end, he bid farewell to each of his guests, many who seemed disheartened at not have the chance to speak once more with the younger Phantomhive. As the last guest left, a waiter neared him.

"Excuse me, sir. Your son was found asleep outside and was taken to his room." Mr. Phantomhive nodded, feeling slightly relieved.

"I see. Which of you did this?" All the workers stood before him and said nothing, then looked around at each other as they realized no one had spoken. The man frowned. "I ask again: which one of you took my son to his room?" Silence greeted him, and suddenly the man felt slightly uneasy.

As the waiters returned to their last chores, Mr. Phantomhive hesitated before walking towards Ciel's bedroom. He opened the door, suddenly unsure of what he would find on the other side. His eyes quickly landed on his son, who was calmly sleeping.

At least the man was now sure his son was truly home, but why had no one taken credit for the action? He felt his blood run cold at the thought that maybe that person had done something they didn't want to take responsibility for.

Slowly, Mr. Phantomhive neared Ciel's bed. He gingerly held one corner of the blanket covering the boy and precariously lifted it.

Ciel was in pajamas.

For a moment Vincent panicked, but his logical mind forced him to reason that Ciel had probably awoken after being left on his bed and had changed by himself. The boy's closet, after all, was no small thing; everything would be moved around if a stranger had been searching for the boy's sleepwear.

With this reasoning, Mr. Phantomhive relaxed as he watched his sleeping son. The boy's breathing was slightly noisy and he wondered if it had always been like that.

He bent down to kiss Ciel's forehead, but the moment his lips made contact with the boy's skin he felt a violent shiver go through him.

He pulled back slowly, taking in every inch of his son's face. Vincent then forced himself to walk away and ignore the deep uneasiness that had invaded him.

* * *

><p><strong>No, Vincent, you don't have the right to be kissing Ciel after everything you did and will do to him. <strong>

**It's a good thing Ciel left, or he would have probably listened to the meeting for a bit more, started laughing at everyone's faces, and then yelled at them for being the "grime under humanities' foot". That would have not ended well. **

**So, I think you all deserve to know that I've been having some concerns relating to the future of this fic. The "bad" stuff is coming up soon and I've sort of been dreading it since it will pretty much change the story completely... It's hard to explain but I'm just unsure of how this is all going to end even though I already know what is going to happen... yeah it doesnt make sense to me either. There should still be a few chill chapters before shit goes down. **

**see you all soon!**


End file.
